OPTUS SUPPORTS MACARTHURS SAFE AND STRONG WOMEN PROJECT

Macarthur Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service (MWDVCAS) will celebrate its inaugural ‘Safe and Strong Women’ project in Campbelltown this Thursday 21 March. Supported with funding of $9,500 from the ‘yes’ Optus Community Grants program, the project ensures women affected by domestic and family violence have access to mobile phones and credit, along with temporary iPads to access information at court hearings.

MWDVCAS, funded by Legal Aid and under the auspices of Macarthur Legal Centre, is a not-for-profit organisation providing advocacy and assistance to women and their children affected by domestic and family violence. The ‘Safe and Strong Women’ project works in partnership with the police to provide 82 Optus-funded mobile phones and credit to women who are left isolated because their partner destroys or restricts access to their phone.

Tanya Whitehouse, ‘Safe and Strong Women’ Project Coordinator, said, “One of the key barriers to addressing issues associated with domestic and family violence is social isolation with women often feeling they have nowhere to turn. Thanks to the ‘yes’ Optus Community Grants program women can access a mobile phone and credit to call friends, family or other support services to continue empowering themselves and their children during a violent situation.”

Helen Maisano, Associate Director, Corporate Social Responsibility at Optus, said, “Having access to a phone during a critical time and feeling safe in your own home is something many of us take for granted. Optus sees a real community benefit in investing in the ‘Safe and Strong Women’ project which helps give disadvantaged women in Macarthur a voice and a chance to stay safe by connecting to a wider support network.”

The annual ‘yes’ Optus Communities Grants program awards funding of up to $10,000 to not-for-profit organisations that help to build social inclusion in communities. Since 2008, Optus has awarded $880,000 in grants to 165 community organisations across Australia.

Tanya Whitehouse and Police Officers who work with women at the MWDVCAS will be available this Thursday to talk about the objective of the project and how it aids women in the Macarthur community who are suffering from domestic or family violence.

MEDIA EVENT:
WHEN: Thursday 21 March 11am-12am
WHERE: Macarthur Legal Centre, 317 Queen Street, Campbelltown NSW
WHY: Run through of the objective of the project and how it will help women and children suffering from domestic and family violence in Macarthur
ATTENDING: Tanya Whitehouse, ‘Safe and Strong Women’ Project Coordinator, Police Officers who work with women at MWDVCAS and ‘yes’ Optus franchisee Ann Maree Labunda.

About Optus in the Community: For more information on the ‘yes’ Optus Community Grants program please visit www.optus.com.au/shop/aboutoptus/communitygrants

Media contact:
Julia Clarke
Fuel Communications
(02) 8217 6505